The Gauteng Provincial Government says the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit was delivered safely, smoothly and with unprecedented coordination, revealing that 1 799 suspects were arrested between 17 and 20 November for crimes ranging from vandalising infrastructure to theft, intimidation and kidnapping.
Premier Panyaza Lesufi said the arrests formed part of a broader security operation that ensured delegates were protected and that the first G20 Summit on African soil proceeded without incident. Of the arrests, 1 075 were linked to contact crimes such as assault, murder, attempted murder and house robberies.Briwding the media on Tuesday at Gauteng Legislature in Johannesburg said he could “boldly declare” the summit a success, citing the integrated planning model weekly G20 reporting, joint work across all spheres of government and rapid on-the-ground delivery as the backbone of the operation.The provincial government also expressed deep gratitude to Gauteng residents, acknowledging that road closures, heightened security measures and infrastructure upgrades had caused major disruptions. “You were the true hosts of this historic event,” the Lesufi said, praising the public’s cooperation and patience.
The Premier said the summit’s success rested on an extensive network of partners, including national departments, local municipalities, municipal entities, national agencies such as ACSA and SANRAL, the SAPS, traffic police, taxi associations, traditional leaders, labour, and various technical work streams.In preparation for the summit, the province accelerated infrastructure upgrades across key routes—repairing potholes, restoring streetlights and traffic signals, repainting road markings, and upgrading signage.
Johannesburg Water ensured uninterrupted water supply while a reinforced energy plan guaranteed stable power throughout the event.Security operations included a unified deployment of SAPS, national and provincial traffic police and metro police, who provided escorted movements for delegates. Ports of entry were tightly managed, and a CCTV camera network was activated to monitor crime in real time.
The Gauteng government said the positive feedback from international delegations reinforced South Africa’s ability to host complex, high-profile global events. It added that several lessons from the summit will shape the province’s long-term energy and infrastructure strategies.
